10 Times Janeway Was The Best Captain In Star Trek
5. Joining Two Crews Together
With Voyager and the crew of the Val Jean stranded in the Delta Quadrant thanks to her decision, Janeway is faced with a choice. She can either put the Maquis in the brig for the next 75 years or find a way to work together. She and Chakotay work out a deal.
The two crews join together, forming one Starfleet crew. While it would have been quite something to see the discussion that led to this, it makes the most sense by far. Voyager is the surviving ship and it would have made no sense for her to cede command. Chakotay accepts the position of first officer, meaning he is still in a position of power.
By the end of Caretaker, the two crews may be in the same uniform, but there is still a lot of work to do in bringing them truly together. Yet over the course of seven years, Janeway not only brings them together as colleagues but ensures that they become a true family. Former Maquis like Lt. Ayala, Lon Suder and Chell all end up serving vital roles on board the ship (though Suder certainly had his issues along the way!)
When Voyager makes contact with Starfleet in season 4, Janeway is a little surprised by the request for information on the Maquis. Chakotay gently reminds her that none of them have ever forgotten their former allediance - they just have a new allegiance now.